Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman for his indulgence. I warmly welcome the members of IBI. We were all glad to meet with them and hear their informative presentation. Tip O'Neill famously stated that all politics is local. The funny thing is that all news has to start locally before going national and international. Many of the people in the national media who think they have a monopoly on everything seem to miss that point. They get their stories from the ground up. That is why I have so much respect for the work of our local radio stations in particular, because of the immense service they give in rural areas placing value and importance on every section of the programming, from 6 a.m. to 12 midnight. There are people who plan their day around their local radio station. That is not an exaggeration. There are people who eat their meals to suit what is happening on their local radio station. That is a fact but many of the arrogant bully-boys in the national media who think they run this country - I have nothing against a lot of them - fail to see that. That is why it is so important. I have great respect for RTE which has done this country immense service over the years. Some of its presenters have given a lifetime of dedicated service and I would never take anything from them but there has to be a change in funding.